SJSU Wrestling Archives The Spartan Daily 11-14-73                  Spartan Grapplers Open Season Tonight Against UC Berkeley           The Spartan wrestling team opens its 1973-74 season tonight in a 7:30 match against UC Berkeley in the Spartan Gym. The Spartans are the defending Pacific Coast Athletic Association champions and are looking forward to the return of eight lettermen from last year's squad. The grapplers will be led by 118-pound All-American Danny Kida and second team All-California heavyweight Donnell Jackson. Head coach T.J. Kerr is optimistic about the upcoming season. "We start put with a very tough early season schedule against Cal, UCLA, Bakersfield, and Cal Poly-SLO. But this year's squad is very dedicated. Our workers have been very intense. I guess you could say that our guys are hard core." There are presently several holes in the Spartan lineup. Dean Prescott (167) is recovering from a recent injury, but is expected to be able to compete in December. The team will have to forfeit the 190-pound class since Carl Erkern and Larry Houston are still playing on the football team. Tim Kerr, T.J.'s brother and captain of last year's team, has taken the position of assistant coach. He said that he expects to see several outstanding performances against Cal and added, "We can't do any worse against them than in the past." (The Spartans have lost to the Bears the past three years.) T.J. Kerr is extremely hopeful of Kida and Jackson's performance this season. "We'll compete Danny at 126 pounds most of the season due to tougher competition at that weight division and then drop him to 118's at the end of the conference and the nationals." When asked about Jackson, he said, "Donnell is one of those heavyweights everybody loves: big, strong, well-proportioned and an extremely tough competitor."